Kvinden fra Shunem vender hjem
1Elisa havde sagt til den kvinde, hvis dreng han havde opvakt fra de døde: „Flygt sammen med din familie til et andet land, for Herren vil sende en hungersnød i Israel, som vil vare i syv år.”
2Derfor slog kvinden og hendes familie sig ned i filistrenes land i syv år, 3og da hungersnøden var forbi, vendte hun tilbage til Israel og opsøgte kongen for at få sin jord og sit hus igen. 4Netop som hun kom ind til kongen, var han fordybet i samtale med Gehazi, Elisas tjener. „Fortæl mig nogle historier om Elisas mirakler,” havde kongen sagt til Gehazi. 5Så Gehazi var i færd med at fortælle om dengang, Elisa genopvakte en dreng fra de døde. I samme øjeblik trådte drengens mor ind.
„Jamen, se,” udbrød Gehazi, „det er jo den kvinde vi taler om. Og det er hendes dreng, Elisa opvakte fra de døde.”
6„Er det virkelig sandt, hvad han siger?” spurgte kongen, og det bekræftede hun. Så sendte kongen straks en embedsmand af sted for at sikre sig, at kvinden fik sin ejendom tilbage, og han sørgede tilmed for, at hun fik godtgjort det høstudbytte, der havde været under hendes fravær.
Hazael myrder kong Ben-Hadad af Aram
7Senere rejste Elisa til Damaskus, Arams hovedstad, hvor kong Ben-Hadad lå syg. Kongen fik straks at vide, at den berømte Guds mand var kommet til byen. 8Da sagde kongen til en embedsmand ved navn Hazael: 9„Bring profeten en gave og spørg ham, om der er chancer for, at jeg bliver rask igen.”
Så læssede Hazael 40 kameler med de bedste varer, der kunne opdrives i landet, og overrakte gaven til Elisa med ordene: „Ben-Hadad, Arams konge, forespørger underdanigst om chancerne for at blive rask igen.”
10Elisa svarede: „Sig du bare, at han vil komme sig. Men Herren har vist mig, at han vil dø.”
11Efter disse ord blev Elisa ved med at stirre ud i luften og fik et udtryk af forfærdelse i ansigtet. Så brød han ud i heftig gråd.
12„Hvad er der i vejen?” spurgte Hazael.
„Ak,” svarede Elisa, „du er manden, som skal bringe store lidelser over Israels folk. Deres fæstninger vil du nedbrænde, de unge krigere vil du hugge ned med sværdet, spædbørnene vil du knuse mod klippeblokkene, og du vil sprætte maven op på de gravide kvinder.”
13„Hvordan skulle jeg få så stor en magt?” udbrød Hazael. „Jeg er jo bare en almindelig tjener.”
„Herren har vist mig,” svarede Elisa, „at du vil blive konge af Aram.”
14Da Hazael kom tilbage, spurgte kongen: „Hvad sagde han?” Hazael svarede: „Han sagde, at du vil komme dig.”
15Men næste dag tog Hazael et klæde, dyppede det i vand og lagde det over den syge konges ansigt, så han blev kvalt. Derpå blev Hazael konge.
Kong Joram af Juda
16Da Ahabs søn, kong Joram af Israel, havde regeret i fem år, blev Joshafats søn Joram konge i Juda. 17Han var 32 år gammel, da han blev konge, og han regerede i Jerusalem i otte år. 18Han fulgte i Israels kongers spor, for han havde giftet sig med en datter af Ahab. Derfor gjorde han, hvad der var ondt i Herrens øjne. 19Men for kong Davids skyld ødelagde Herren ikke Juda fuldstændigt. Han havde jo lovet, at Davids slægt aldrig skulle dø ud.
20Mens Joram regerede, løsrev Edoms folk sig fra Judas overherredømme og udnævnte deres egen konge. 21Kong Joram mønstrede sine stridsvogne for at slå oprøret ned. Han slog lejr ved Zair, men blev omringet af Edoms hær. Han gik til angreb på fjendens hær og deres stridsvogne om natten, men under kampen flygtede hans egne soldater og vendte hjem. 22Derfor har Edom indtil i dag opretholdt sin uafhængighed, og det samme er tilfældet med Libna.
23Resten af kong Jorams historie er beskrevet i Judas kongers krønikebog. 24Da han døde, blev han begravet i Davidsbyen ligesom sine forfædre.
Kong Ahazja af Juda
25Ahazja, Jorams søn, blev konge i Juda efter sin far i kong Joram af Israels 12.8,25 Der skulle nok have stået 11. i stedet for 12., som der gør i 9,29. Joram regerede kun i 12 år, og både Joram og Ahazja døde samtidigt. Se 2.Kong. 3,1 og 2.Kong. 9,24-29. regeringsår. 26Han var 22 år gammel, da han blev konge, og han regerede i Jerusalem i ét år. Hans mor, Atalja, var kong Omri af Israels barnebarn. 27Ahazja gjorde, hvad der var ondt i Herrens øjne ligesom kong Ahabs slægt, for hans far var blevet gift ind i den familie.
28Derfor støttede han Ahabs søn, kong Joram af Israel, og sammen gik de i krig mod kong Hazael af Aram. Aramæerne vandt slaget ved Ramot-Gilead, og Joram blev såret, 29hvorefter han trak sig tilbage til Jizre’el for at blive rask igen. Ahazja tog derfor til Jizre’el for at se til ham.
1Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. 2And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. 4And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. 5And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.8.6 officer: or, eunuch
7¶ And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?8.9 with…: Heb. in his hand 10And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.8.11 stedfastly: Heb. and set it 12And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 13And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
16¶ And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.8.16 began…: Heb. reigned 17Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.8.19 light: Heb. candle, or, lamp
20¶ In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.8.24 Ahaziah: also called, Azariah, and Jehoahaz
25¶ In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.8.26 daughter: or, granddaughter 27And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.
28¶ And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.8.29 which…: Heb. wherewith the Syrians had wounded8.29 Ramah: called Ramoth8.29 sick: Heb. wounded
